Something Else

In Something Else, Rachel has purchased Cynthia, an AI programmed to be a younger version of herself, hoping this can help mend her relationship with her wife Michele. At first, it seems the point is for Rachel to use Cynthia to address some past experience with “Mr. John,” a fictionalized version of a man she worked with twenty years earlier. As the play progresses, though, it becomes clear that something else is hidden in Rachel’s unconscious. It’s not until she uses an experimental electrode method of programming Cynthia that she confronts the consequences of her own childhood mistakes, and accepts more fully the long history of her sexuality.

The Blank Theatre, Living Room Series, Hollywood, 2022
Southwest Theatre Productions, Female Lead Competition, Semi-Finalist, Austin, 2020
Geva Theatre Center, Regional Writers Showcase, Rochester, 2019

–

In the era of #MeToo, Swans is a tender exploration of a local family torn apart by abuse. In Swans, Paul’s mother returns after a ten-year absence, forcing Paul to confront the circumstances of her leaving as well as his own complicity in shaping a world where women are not always safe.

Southwest Theatre Productions, Male Emotional Transformation Competition, Semi-Finalist, Austin, 2020
IGNITE of Greater Rochester, All-Deaf Production, Rochester, 2019
Straw Mat Writers and Method Machine, Geva Theatre Center’s Fielding Stage, Rochester, 2018
New Plays New Voices, Reading, MuCCC, Rochester, 2017

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Santa’s Baby
Boston Theatre Marathon, Finalist, 2002
The Bridge Theatre Company, Production, Boston, 2003

The Root People
Last Frontier Theatre Conference, Workshop Reading, Valdez, 2004
Moving Arts Theatre Festival, Semi-Finalist, Los Angeles, 2012
Boog City Poetry Festival, Workshop Production, NYC, 2012

Revolutions
Monroe Community College, Workshop Production, 2006

The Next Thing: After Eugene O’Neill’s Before Breakfast
Geva Theatre Center/Writers and Books, Reading, Rochester, 2013

Relativity
Subversive Shorts Theatre Festival, Finalist, Buffalo, 2013
ObamAmerica Festival, Over Here Theatre Company, Finalist, London, 2014

They Were Real
Geva Theatre Center/Writers and Books, Reading, Rochester, 2014

The Cell
MuCCC New Play Festival, Reading, Out of Pocket Productions, Rochester, 2014
Regional Writers Showcase, Reading, Geva Theatre Center, Rochester, 2014
Earth Matters on Stage Festival, Semi-Finalist, Reno, 2014
Festival of New Theatre, Reading, Geva Theatre Center, Rochester, 2014
– Interview, Geva Theatre Center

Litter
Girl Play Festival, Reading, The Women’s Theatre Project, Fort Lauderdale, 2014

FourPlay, co-authored with Straw Mat Writers
The First Niagara Fringe Festival, Production, MuCCC, Rochester, 2014
– Feature, Rochester Magazine, Reprinted in Democrat and Chronicle

New York Plays
Out of Pocket Productions, Production, MuCCC, Rochester, 2014
– Feature, Democrat and Chronicle

Shitty Lives, co-authored with Straw Mat Writers
The First Niagara Fringe Festival, Production, MuCCC, Rochester, 2015

Swans
– Interview, WXXI
– Interview, FOX Rochester

Ghosts
Everyone’s Theatre Company, Production, Rochester, 2017

What Moves at the Bottom
Commissioned by Alleyway Theatre as part of Currents: 716, Buffalo, 2020

OTHER CREATIVE WRITING

To Pin the Tired Home, excerpts
Monroe Community College, Skunk Hour, 2005

“Against the Floor,” “Everything Gray,” All the Words (excerpt)
Writers and Books, Genesee Reading Series, 2005

All the Words (excerpt)
Nox Cocktail, Rochester Book Launch, 2016

“A Promise,” “Rain,” “That Woman,” “Manhattanhenge”
Words on the Verge, Brockport, 2016
– About the Event: “Our May event was magical. Of course. Because good, hard, moving words entrance an audience. It’s deep spell work, heart work, community building. Thank you Maria Brandt for joining us. And thanks to the lovely community that continues to support Words on the Verge.”

All the Words (excerpt)
Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn Book Launch, 2016

“The Portal”
Writers and Books Get Lit Pub Crawl, Roc Brewing Company, 2017
Two-Year College Creative Writing Caucus, Tampa, 2018

“Blades”
Words on the Verge, Brockport, 2018

“The Kidnapper”
Writers and Books The Ladder Reading Series, Genesee Brew House, Rochester, 2018

ACADEMIC CONFERENCES

In Short, What is the New Woman? A Study in Culture and Representation
Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference, 2003

“Something to Think About”: Negotiating Loss in A Farewell to Arms
Northeast Modern Language Association Conference, 2009

The Sixth Act: Integrating Drama, the Community, and the Classroom
League of Innovation Conference, 2010

Greater Rochester Consortium of Women and Gender Studies
National Women’s Studies Association Conference, 2010, 2011

“The Man in the Family”: Staging Gender in Waiting for Lefty and American Social Protest Theatre
Northeast Modern Language Association Conference, 2011